Shannon now in line for 15%+ passenger growth in 2014, only 1 year after independenceMinister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has welcomed today’s announcement by Ryanair to boost its services at Shannon Airport with 300,000 new seats per annum on eight new routes to the UK and continental Europe.
This deal alone represents passenger growth of almost 15% at Shannon Airport next year, only one year after Minister Varadkar granted the airport full independence and one week after the Government reduced the travel tax to €0 in the Budget. It also marks the end of five years of falling passenger numbers.
“This announcement of eight new routes by Ryanair is further evidence of the success of the Government's decision to break up the State airport monopoly, and allow Shannon Airport to compete on its own and cut its own deals,” Minister Varadkar said.
“This is also the first dividend arising from last week’s Budget decision to suspend the €3 travel tax from next April. Winning this commitment from Ryanair to expand services at Shannon is important for the airport and will assist in growing traffic.
“After years of sustained contraction, it looks like Shannon Airport has finally halted the dramatic downward slide of the previous five years. The airport is predicting that this year’s outturn will be on a par with last year’s total of 1.39 million passengers, or even marginally above that. That would be a major achievement for the airport in its first year of independence from the DAA. Having halted the dramatic downward slide of the previous five years, this announcement by Ryanair helps the airport to reverse that trend.
“Now that the Government has responded to the airlines and reduced the travel tax to €0, I want to see further announcements of this kind, not just at Shannon and not just by Ryanair. More flights into Ireland at more locations will mean more visitors from oversees, and a bigger tourism dividend. It will also assist the Government in promoting the new Wild Atlantic Way to international markets next year.
“The benefits of this announcement will be felt well beyond the confines of Shannon Airport. I look forward to further expansion by Ryanair, and by other carriers, at all of our airports and to build on the success of The Gathering in the months ahead.”
Details
The new services represent 200,000 extra seats at Shannon Airport in 2014, and 300,000 in a full year.
New routes have been announced to the following locations from Shannon Airport.
Berlin
Munich
Paris
Warsaw
Krakow
Faro
Fuerteventura (Canaries)
Nice
Services on the Shannon-Stansted route will also increase.